A Fox In Magix
by Stone Shield
Summary: Check it out.  Naruto in Winx world.  Naruto/Tecna pairing.  No Timmy, don't really like him.  Mysterious, semi-powerful Naruto.  Rated M, as usual, potentially for language.
1. The Meeting

A Fox In Magix

Speaking

_Thoughts_

**Demonic Voice**

Disclaimer: I own neither Winx Club, nor Naruto.

AN/ This is just a fic to test the waters. If it is liked i will continue to post. If it is flamed...then screw you. I'm writing this 'cuz I want to. Anyway, enjoy.

Chapter 1 - The Meeting

Stretching, a tall young man surveyed the crops through the morning light. "Hmm, the carrots look ready enough, as do the squash," he mumbled. Walking steadily out to the field, easily several acres to a mile in size, he prepared to harvest…by himself. With a gesture he was surrounded by hundreds of duplicates of himself. "Alright, guys, let's get to work. I wanna have this delivered in an hour." After a chorus of "Yes, Boss!" the copies as well as the original were blurs down the rows of produce, finishing mere seconds after they started. "Okay, let's clean them and head off," he said proudly to his troop of replicas, each with a sizable load of veggies.

He was met as usual at the back doors of the large castle-like school by the same person as ever. "Good morning, Headmistress Faragonda," he greeted as politely as ever.

The aged headmistress smiled kindly back at him. "Punctual as ever…Naruto. This week's produce?"

"Yeah. Carrots, squash, and a few assorted greens. I'm sorry to say the orchard won't be ready for picking for another few weeks though," he said apologetically.

She smiled back at him. "Never you mind. Please, come in."

"I can't stay for long, I've got to get back-"

"To your training? Dear boy, do you ever take a break?"

He smiled a small smile. "It's all I know," he answered wistfully.

"I keep telling you that the headmaster of Red Fountain would gladly accept you," she reminded.

"Thank you, but no. I like it where I am. No one to give me orders and I can do as I like."

She understood more than he meant to speak of. He was also saying that he was safer alone, more so emotionally than physically, even if he didn't mean to say it. It was an issue he had spoken very little of and she hadn't tried to push the issue as it seemed to be a sore spot. "I won't quit trying to convince you," she reminded, earning a smile from the teenager. It was a playful game between the two. A grandmotherly figure trying to goad a grandson-like young man into doing what she asked through the greatest and most feared method of all: persistence, also known as nagging.

"We'll see" he answered, as she turned to take stock of all the vegetables. He never failed when it came to producing high quality produce…and in such great amounts, too.

"I hope you'll let me pay you this…" she turned around and found him gone, just as quietly as he'd arrived. One of these days, she would catch him before he left and pay him back for all the charity he showed. He never seemed to get over the idea that he owed her, though in her eyes that debt had long since been paid by simply meeting the kind blonde warrior.

He reappeared in a burst of light on his property. It wasn't that far from Alfea, just a few miles, and was between it and Magix, if a little to the side.

He still remembered the day he'd purchased it. The owner had said it was absolutely worthless, and sold it for hardly anything at all. True, it would have taken years to bring it to farming quality, what with the scrub brush, rocks, and tough soil. Luckily for him though he had an army of shadow clones always at his disposal. In under a week he had the land in perfect condition and started his crops.

It had been over a year and a half since the fifteen year old blonde had appeared, falling almost literally into the lap of the Headmistress of the Alfea School for Fairies. She had nursed him back to health and taught him enough about where he was for him to survive. He could never repay the debt he owed her, but he did the best he could to try by giving the school all the produce that he could.

Whereas before he had been under five and a half feet, the presently sixteen year old, almost seventeen, now stood at a whopping six foot one. He had never really gotten big and muscular like he'd wanted to. Instead, his body had remained lean and had become wiry, his muscles tough and fast, but not bulky like the ones those muscle bound Neanderthals had. He was built more for speed than power, though that wasn't to say he was weak. Physically, he was probably somewhere in Lee or Gai's range when from when he'd seen them last. He would never know it, being unable to see it in himself, but he was a near carbon copy of his father, the only real differences being the deeper tan and the trio of near invisible whisker-like scars he bore on either cheek.

And while he couldn't learn more jutsus in this place, those that he did know, he'd honed to an even higher mastery. His shadow clones were child's play to create now, to name just one.

Not that he hadn't picked up a few interesting things here.

Breathing deeply, a lungful of the wonderfully clear air, he set out to continue his morning workout while his clones set to work caring for the crops. Well, he could train…or…a second later a golden fox was snoozing in the warm sunbeams. Oh, yeah, this was nice.

"Oh, pardon me," he apologized. He'd been on his usual sojourn into town and had run right into someone at the stacks in the library. He didn't live too far out of town, only a few miles, but every two weeks or so he'd come into town and visit the library for reading material. Faragonda allowed him to peruse the Alfean library, but he tried not to intrude. So far, he'd only been there twice, coming early in the morning when no one was awake. But as of the moment, he was helping a young woman to pick up several books that he'd knocked out of her arms.

"It's quite alright, I should have been more observant," she answered in a cultured voice.

"No, I was a little impatient in getting to the stacks this morning. The fault is my own," he reaffirmed.

The young girl sighed internally, he was a stubborn one who would not take 'no' for an answer. Handing her the last of the books, he helped her back to her feet. For a moment, she marveled at how easy it seemed for him to pull her to her feet what with the near dozen heavy books in her arms.

He was a little taken aback by her appearance. She was by no means hideous; it was just that she had a bookwormish kind of cuteness to her. Her purple hair was cut short at the back, but got steadily longer at the front where it was pulled over to the right side of her face. She couldn't be older than sixteen, by his judgment.

At the same time, she was giving him a covert look-over. He was nearly a head taller than her with shocking gold hair that fell in long spikes. His complexion was a tan of seemingly impossible perfection. Though he looked like a specialist, what with his athletic build and by his age, she could see intelligence burning behind those twin cerulean pools. Before she knew it, she was introducing herself. "My name's Tecna," offering her hand.

Smiling, he accepted the proffered appendage, shaking it gently, being certain not to exert too much strength. "Naruto, and it's a pleasure to meet you, Tecna."

A shiver went through her when he smiled. It couldn't be possible, but she could just sense that he was…good. "So, erm, what are you looking for?" mentally wondering if he was here for the library's subscription to the more sports related magazines. She herself normally didn't visit the library that often as most texts could be found in digital format, but there were some that were only available on paper, which was why she came here at times.

"Advanced Interdimensional Theory," he answered simply. He didn't know if he could get home, let alone if he even wanted to, but he'd be damned if he didn't figure out how he got here.

Tecna blanched before her face lit up. "Really?" It wasn't often she found someone that she could talk theory with. "Which particular aspect are you studying? The theory of time discrepancies between dimensional shifts? The doppelganger theory? The…" and she listed off key points to the area of study.

Naruto was impressed. There weren't that many people who read such 'heavy' subjects. And he only knew as much as he did because he and Faragonda both agreed that it was the only possibility so far to explain how he got here.

They actually got into a deep discussion of the books he was looking into, even broadening into the ones she was reading. They shared conversation at a local café, just talking. Sadly, it came time to part ways when Tecna's portable computer started beeping.

"Oh no! I've got to get back!" she said in a rush, pulling things together. "If I don't leave now, I'll be late for class!"

"Class? You go to Alfea?" There was no way she could be a witch. The personality was too good.

"Yes, my friends and I are freshman there," she answered. Giving a radiant smile, "It was a pleasure meeting you and talking."

"Not to sound cliché, but 'the pleasure was all mine'," he said with a grin.

Looking down at the paper with the number written on it, "I guess this means I need to get a phone, hmm," he muttered.

Back at Alfea, Tecna arrived in a rush, tossing her things onto her bed before grabbing her bag. If she hurried, she just might make it in time. Besides the jittery nervousness she felt at being late for class, there was a certain warmth, a joy, at meeting someone new that shared a common interest. Not that his good looks and oblivious charm didn't enhance his appeal.

"Tecna, hurry up or we'll be late," came Flora's soft voice from outside her door.

"I'm coming," she called in answer. Oh, so many new people she'd met lately. First, Bloom, and now this wonderful guy. She felt her cheeks grow warm as she thought about when she might see him next. Racing out of the room, she almost bumped into Flora and Musa.

"Come on, girl," the dark-haired teen, Musa, insisted. "We gotta get moving!"

"I'm surprised, Tecna," spoke Flora softly as they jogged through the halls. "You're usually more punctual than this."

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "I got…caught up…at the library."

"Find a good book?"

"No…a guy." She instantly knew that she'd doomed herself to be bombarded by questions the moment she resigned herself to answering.

After the morning's classes, Tecna sat on Stella's bed, reading off a projected computer screen from her small laptop. It was much more interesting reading a subject that she could discuss with someone else. Naruto was so very…open. It was like nothing was impossible in his mind. And it was a charming quality in her eyes. She mentally shook herself. She'd only met him a few days ago. It wasn't very logical to think of him in such familiar terms so early after meeting him. Still, she felt something was there…between them. Looking up from her screen, she listened as her friends tried to cheer Bloom up from her failed metamorphosis attempts. If she was right, the reason she couldn't quite 'get the feel' of the spells was that she hadn't been around enough magic to know what it felt like.

"Let's try this! Just think back to the best hair day you've ever had," Stella suggested, sitting next to Bloom on her bed. "Okay, remember how you felt? Think of how happy you were and use that to change your hair color."

Eyes closed, Bloom concentrated, some of her energy flowing around her, when…her bangs lifted up into spikes. "Uuugh!" she cried out, exasperated. "And this is what I end up with?"

"I'm just trying to help," Stella countered. "You're a bigger project than I thought."

Smiling at her friends, both new and old, Tecna went back to her reading, and occasional thoughts of a blonde teen.

At the evening meal the gathered fairies were all chatting over their first days back.

"Good evening, girls," greeted Headmistress Faragonda from her seat at the teachers' table. "As is the tradition here at Alfea, we will be holding a start of semester dance, and will be host to the boys of Red Fountain."

A storm of murmurs erupted throughout the dining area.

"The dance will be this coming Friday night, and I expect you all to be on your best behaviors."

But while most of the students seemed thrilled at the idea of the Red Fountain students attending, Tecna was not as excited, though she couldn't figure out why. Shouldn't she feel as energized by the announcement as her friends…her friends who all had boys at Red Fountain? For someone as logical as she…this was all so confusing.

She felt quite proud of her choice in dresses. It was the most logical choice, reflected positively in opinion polls in teen magazines. The others had found their own perfect dresses as well, each looking radiant. The only one who hadn't found a dress was Bloom. She was the epitome of nervousness, acting utterly frazzled. She had been unable to find a dress, and her overall mood about still being unable to access her fairy abilities was actually making her reconsider even attending the dance.

The music was wonderful, her friends were there, they had defeated the trio of witches, Bloom had discovered her winx, and there were a plethora of handsome boys in the auditorium to dance with. And for the most part, she enjoyed herself. But afterward, thinking it over as she prepared for bed, she couldn't help noticing that her thoughts drifted to the blonde from before.

They hardly knew each other, only having met two more times over the week, and yet she felt so comfortable around him. Getting under the covers, she thought back, remembering his warm smile, his intelligence, and his genuine good nature. As sleep took hold, part of her wished it was him she had danced the night away with.

The morning after the dance, the girls were glowing from their fantastic night. Well, except for Tecna, who was plagued with internal conflict.

Bloom, Musa, Stella, and Flora were huddled between the two beds, discussing the party. Peeling off from the others, "What's wrong, Tecna?" asked Flora, coming and sitting by her.

"Nothing," the technocrat answered, though her tone spoke the opposite.

"Tecna, I know something's wrong. You can tell me," she reassured, reminding the purple-haired girl of just how empathetic the plant user really was.

Sighing in defeat, she closed her laptop, and hugged her knees to her chest. "I don't know. Just…seeing everyone so happy after the dance… They all have someone they truly care for…it makes me feel a bit put out."

Flora understood what her friend was saying as she herself didn't have a boyfriend yet, but was still happy for them. Tecna was lonely, and possibly a little jealous. A thought came to her though.

"What about this guy you told me about?"

"He's…great…but we haven't had a moment the way the others had at the dance. He's not a specialist so he wasn't there."

"But you like him, don't you?"

"I…think so. We talk and laugh, and he always seems to understand me."

Flora smiled internally as she could hear the warmth in the continued description. She herself hadn't found anyone like that yet, but she was patient, and knew that someday she would meet someone.

"Sounds to me like you like him," Flora offered cheerily. Tecna's cheeks burned, and she turned away in embarrassment.

"I…that is…" She didn't know what to say. Deep down, she really did feel that way for him, but another part of her didn't want to think it, believing it to be too soon, statistically. In fact, "But we've only known each other a little while now." She always tried to be as objective, logical, as possible, which is why she usually came across as robotic or even emotionless.

Flora grinned. "I don't think time has much to do with it, Tecna. I mean, look at Bloom and Brandon. She just met him a little over a week ago, and look at them." It was an excellent point, too.

"You called?" he asked, looking up from his book with a cheery smile to the approaching fairy. She was starting to wonder how he always seemed to know when she was around, without any clue beforehand. A few hours earlier, he'd received a call from Tecna, asking to meet up. Nothing really planned, and since she was a friend, he agreed. So, locking up, he left some shadow clones to watch over the property and headed into town.

Tecna was a little surprised at how he always seemed to know when she was approaching. She was a little nervous as thoughts of Flora and their conversation entered flittered to the surface. Seeing him now, and the warm smile he was giving her…she could actually imagine them in a relationship. That is, provided he was interested. "How do you always know when I'm nearby?"

He winked. "Secret," the mischief in his smile spreading to his eyes.

She pouted a little at the answer, but that didn't dampen her spirits. "I was wondering if you would want to…" she balked a little, trying to get the right words out. She just felt so very bare under his gaze. She wondered if he knew how piercing his eyes were.

Wondering if he was on the right track, "There's a new exhibit at the Magix museum. I was thinking about going. You wanna come with?" The girl's distress seemed to wash away as the intent was already voiced.

"Erm, yes, that would be wonderful," she answered, wearing a small smile. Practically hopping from his chair, he was beside her almost immediately. "Well then. Shall we?" he asked, offering his hand. Blushing, she took the proffered limb.

It was hours later when she returned to the dorms. In fact, the sun had only just set. Yet, her face glowed from the small smile she sported, slipping quietly back into the student dorms. She made her way quietly down the lit hallways, passing a few other fairies on the way, until the door to hers and the other girls' suite came into sight. She didn't know why she was being so careful, as if she had something to hide. And yet, for the moment, Naruto was a bit of a secret, and the fact that they had just been on a date was certainly one. Sighing, relieved, she cracked the door open as silently as she could and slipped inside, closing it carefully behind her.

"And just where have you been, young lady?" Her breath hitched in her throat as she shot around, having failed to notice that the common area in the suite wasn't as empty as she'd thought. On the small couch, sat Stella, Flora, and Musa, with Bloom nowhere in sight. The blonde fairy wore a faux reproachful glare trained on her.

"Oh, um, hello, everyone," she greeted, her voice shaky from the unease of their attention. Stella stormed right up to her until they were practically nose to nose. Eyes narrowed, the sun-blonde fairy looked her over as if she was trying to divine the very secrets of the universe.

"I knew it!" she cried triumphantly. "She was out with a guy!" Tecna was once more floored by her roommate. Stella wasn't stupid. It was just that her interests and knowledge lay in less than academic areas.

"What makes you say that?"

Stella turned to the musical fairy. "Hey, if there's one thing I know, it's when a girl's been out with a guy," she preached. Flora sent Tecna a covert look, trying to tell her that she hadn't said anything. The shared look was interrupted by Stella getting up into her face. "Well?"

"What?" Tecna asked, the feeling of being outed setting into her stomach like a lump of lead.

Arms crossed over her chest, the blonde fairy sent an annoyed pout at her reluctant friend. Musa, feeling a little more laid back, broke the silence. "Come on, girl. What's the scoop on your guy?" Tecna flushed a little at how they were referring to Naruto. She wasn't quite sure if she could call him 'hers', or just how compatible they were. Not that it was an unappealing thought; just that she had been completely ambushed. A part of her had wanted to keep him secret a little longer, a secret that was hers alone.

Breathing a sigh of defeat, the purple-haired teen allowed herself to be ushered to the couch. "Well, it started about a week ago, when I was forced to go to the library for research material, remember?"

Stella rolled her eyes at the expectedly long narrative. "Skip the boring and get to the goods, sister," she urged.

Naruto smiled to himself the whole trip back to his house. It had been an…interesting evening. Tecna had seemed to like it as well. She had commented numerous times about the archaic technologies that had once been top of the line. Sure, he was interested, but to him the technology was still far beyond that of his own world.

Towards the end of their…date, they had gone to a juice bar and talked until her time had run out. And that was when she threw him a curve.

"You what?" Stella shrieked in surprise at her friend and roommate.

The tech. fairy's face was aflame from embarrassment. In truth, she had not really expected herself to do such. It had been a spur of the moment sort of thing.

Flora and Musa both cheered her on. "Way ta go, girl," the latter crowed. Flora remained silent, but her eyes shone with happiness for her friend.

She'd kissed him. Sure, it was on the cheek, but, hey, it was still a kiss.

So, did that mean it had been an official first date?

Sitting on the porch of his small house, he watched the sun sink past the trees, twilight overtaking the sky, before giving way to the night. Leaning back against the steps, he watched the stars twinkle into existence, the feeling of contentment not fading in the slightest. So this was dating? It was…nice? Or should he say the company was nice?

This…was _really_ confusing.

Chuckling, he shook his head before climbing to his feet. Crossing the yard to the few trees in the yard, lay back in the rope hammock stretched between a pair of what looked like maples, even if the trees of this realm were slightly different than those of others, species wise. That aside, he rocked in its woven embrace under the stars.

Habits still being what they were, a clone was still left watching over the place while he dozed.

AN/ So what do you think?


	2. Trouble With the Trix, Life Keeps Moving

A Fox In Magix

Speaking

_Thoughts_

**Demonic Voice**

Disclaimer: I own neither Winx Club, nor Naruto.

AN/ Constructive criticism appreciated. Flamers…screw you. It's been a rough week, and at this point I'm simply throwing this one out there, hoping there aren't too many errors.

Chapter 2, Trouble With the Trix, But Life Keeps Moving

"Naruto, why is it you never talk about your home?" Tecna asked.

They had come together to simply walk around town for the afternoon in a mix of window shopping and talking. She'd been thinking about her own home when it occurred to her that he had never once talked of his. In fact, at the mention, he winced.

"I don't?" She shook her head. "Well, it's kind of complicated," he offered weakly.

"I've got time, if you're willing," she urged, hoping that it wasn't a matter of trust, as she'd hoped that they were beyond that now.

"Remember the day we met?" he asked.

Looking thoughtful for a second, tapping her chin cutely with her index finger, "You were researching at the library…on…interdimensional theory," she recalled.

"Mhm. I didn't come to Alfea through normal means, or magical, or any other known method." Her eyes widened momentarily before she leaned in, curious. "I got caught in the ability of a…bad guy…back home. I tried to escape, but just made it worse."

"How?"

"I've got nothing, other than that I seem to have slipped between the proverbial cracks." Looking at Tecna with a small grin, "Oddly enough, the person to find me was Faragonda."

Tecna blinked. "_Headmistress_ Faragonda?" she asked, needing clarification.

He scratched his head. "Yeah, she helped me get settled in. I've been trying to repay her ever since."

"How long has it been?" she asked.

Lip quirking as he thought, "Going on…two years," he answered, nodding at his count.

"So…are you trying to get back to your home?" she asked, a sliver of worry chilling her.

"That was my plan…for the first week I was here. Then, it occurred to me, that I actually like it here," he replied, looking down at her, radiating warmth. "There's so much more for me here, than back home." Worry aside, she blushed lightly at his implication, turning away so he wouldn't see her reddening cheeks.

"But you asked about my home," he began again. Shrugging lazily, "There's not much to say. We're not as technologically advanced as these realms, leaning more towards advancing in other ways."

"Like what?" she asked, entering familiar territory.

Not wanting to give up too much, "Mainly, bringing out and using the energy within ourselves." Crossing his arms, "In some ways, kind of like how fairies need to learn to draw out their own powers," he elucidated. "We used this energy, calling it chakra, in other fields. Some used it to fight, harnessing the elements, while others could use it to heal, and others to create illusions. And those are just the ones I know about."

"Intriguing," she murmured.

"But one of these fields you know about," he added, with a playful grin.

"Really? What?"

Pausing on the path, he toed the ground with the tip of his shoe, scratching an indiscernible figure. "Seals."

"Pardon?"

"They're also called runes, markings of power."

She nodded. "Of course, some of the more archaic, old fashioned magic utilized written script in spells. This also branched into the use of more complex symbols."

"Yeah, well, fun stuff aside, war's far more common there than here." It was one reason he was glad to be here. If, in some small way, him being here could lessen conflict, he could live with that in the hopes that wherever Nagato was he could accept it as well. He was a weapon, a powerful weapon. Without him, there was one less weapon of mass destruction. Not to mention his being here, a freak accident no matter how you looked at it, meant that Madara couldn't enact his grand plan. He had won against the supposedly immortal Uchiha. All he had had to do was leave, even if that hadn't been the plan.

"Here, I'm just a simple farmer."

She didn't really believe the whole "simple farmer" bit, specifically the "simple" part. It wasn't something she could put to words, but, getting to know him as she had, she began to sense something about him. At times his presence felt…big. Though explaining such a feeling was all but impossible. It was something she hoped he would explain to her …sooner or later. Noting his change in tone, specifically the gloominess, she decided she'd had enough answers for now. "Wait, so is that why you were so interested in the museum exhibit?" she asked with a broad grin.

"They may be antiques, but they're still more advanced than anything we had," he countered weakly at her poking fun.

"I guess I'll just have to educate you." Giggling, she hugged his arm. This time, it was his turn to blush.

"You really want to see my home?" he asked. "I mean my home, not my world."

"Would you show me?" she countered.

"Would you be satisfied if you found out I was living as simple as can be?" he asked further. "Put it this way, before I met you I didn't even own a phone. What if you find there isn't much to me to find interesting?"

"I think I can tell for myself what is interesting," she offered. Though from what she had seen from him so far, he was rather simplistic in nature. He was intelligent, yes, but his nature was the polar opposite.

"Next weekend?" he asked.

Today, Tuesday, had been a field class in the Black-Mud Swamp with Professor Palladian. The purpose had been to force them to make their way to the assigned location using their ability to listen to the voice of nature, and anything they could come up with, with the exception of magic, to find their way to the clearing where the class would meet up.

As wonderful and surprising as it was being joined by the Specialists from Red Fountain, the girls still trudged into their group suite. Being covered in various swamp mucks had a somewhat debilitating effect on their moods. At least the Specialists had given them a ride back to their group. Even better, the professor had given them points for their help, claiming that getting the Specialists' help was an inventive choice.

It had been a rather informative day, and not in the way any of them had expected. If suspicions were correct, someone was orchestrating a great many things. The evidence pointed to the three witches, the Trix, but what she found most troubling was how little they actually knew of their intentions. They had tried to steal Stella's ring on multiple occasions, but for an unknown reason.

Stella, handling it the worst, stomped straight for the bathroom, intent on showering for as long as it took. The others, not as motivated as her, slumped tiredly in various chairs.

"Ugh," Musa groaned, leaning over the arm of the couch.

Though, of all of them, Flora was in the highest spirits. She was tired, but the trip into the wilds had invigorated her. "I hope we get to have a class like that again," she proposed hopefully.

Musa sent a weak glare at her friend. "Sorry, girl, not gonna happen."

Tecna pulled off her hat before leaning back on the couch. She was all for learning, but it had been quite the long day.

"Um, shouldn't we be worried about getting the place dirty?" Bloom asked, worried despite her fatigue.

Musa exhaled a deep breath. "Cleaning spell."

Satisfied by that answer, Bloom let herself relax more. "At least we got to see the guys," she proposed. She got a few belated groans of assent at that.

"So our name is "Winx"?" Tecna questioned skeptically.

Bloom smiled widely. "Even better." Making crossing motions with either index finger, "We're the Winx Club!"

"_Sounds like fun to me._"

Tecna rolled her eyes at his idea of fun. It wasn't too surprising to hear such from him. "Interesting, maybe, but still quite tiresome" she amended into the phone.

"_Heheh, there are worse places,_" he reminded.

"Too true." That was almost always a fact. There was always the chance of something or someone being at a higher end of the extreme. Unexpectedly, she let out a tired yawn.

"_Sounds to me like you could use some rest._" Even over the phone, she could feel the warmth of his words."_Goodnight, Tecna._"

"Goodnight, Naruto."

"_Sleep well,_" he added over the line just before the call cut out.

Clad in her pajamas, Tecna walked over and replaced the phone on her dresser before climbing back into bed.

As if to lend further credence to their suspicions, the witches made another attempt before the week was out.

Forging an invitation from Prince Sky, they tricked her into coming to a café thinking it was a date. Taking their chance, Darcy used an illusion to make herself look like the blonde princess and got into Alfea, tearing up their suite looking for Stella's ring.

But thanks to Bloom, and supposedly the Good Judgment spell, they had discovered the trick, and tracked down the witches. But it turned out to be a trap. Stella had entrusted the Ring of Solaria to Bloom, and they were still intent on getting it.

Fortunately, coming together, they'd managed to stop them and rescue back Stella who'd been kidnapped.

But, to save Stella…they had to sacrifice the ring.

The scepter of Solaria was now in the hands of the witches.

Saturday morning:

Checking her appearance in the mirror, making sure nothing was out of place, Tecna eventually stepped back, seeming satisfied that everything was as it should be. Grabbing a few things, she left her room.

Bloom and Flora were both just rising as the technocrat passed through the living room, jacket in arm. "Going somewhere?" Bloom asked, far more tactfully than Stella would.

"Um, out, actually," Tecna answered.

"Naruto?" Flora asked.

Tecna nodded. "We're meeting at the front gate in a few minutes."

As the door closed behind her, Bloom and Flora shared conspiratory glances.

Hiding, the pair of in-training fairies watched their friend as she walked out the gate. Waiting for her…

This was the first time they'd seen him. Tecna had only ever spoken of him.

He was tall, somewhere around six to eight inches taller than their friend. They almost immediately noticed that he had, in their joint opinion, the oddest hair. It was a bright golden blonde, almost luminescent, in what could only be described as long spikes that fell haphazardly. He was lean, but well built, from what they could see across the distance of the courtyard.

Bloom leaned over to Flora. "That's Naruto?"

"It looks that way." Flora smiled. "He's pretty good looking. Stella will be sorry she didn't wake up for this." Bloom giggled lightly in agreement.

"It's really not that far from here," he explained. "Just a few miles. I hope you don't mind the walk."

Tecna shook her head in negation.

He chuckled, scratching the back of his head nervously. "Yeah, but I should probably tell you. I don't have any transportation because I've never really needed it. I didn't think it would com e back to bite me, until right now."

"No, that's alright. Studies show that early morning exercise is best for maintaining proper health."

He hid a smile at her habit of dropping facts. He didn't think it would be the best thing to do, telling her that his normal morning exercise included a thirty plus mile run. And that was on his light mornings. He'd tell her some day. For a while, they idly chatted. With her fairly recent discovery of his subpar technological understanding, she'd taken it upon herself to help him cultivate that knowledge.

It pleased her to see how attentive he was.

Soon enough, right at the 3.6 mile mark, by her mental estimate, they arrived at a dirt road leading into the trees. And soon that too ended, opening onto a large expanse of land. Most of which was covered in crops. She saw rows of vegetable produce, but, also a large section of orchard. Right off the road though was a small house, surrounded by a few trees. The design was odd, indicative by the way the roof curved. Surrounding it was a porch-like walkway. "It's not much, but it's home," he admonished.

She wasn't wholly against living without the aid of technology, only that she didn't understand how some people could so easily choose to live without it. "No, it's nice," she praised. He smiled just a little.

The inside was actually quite different than what she expected. The furniture was tasteful, and, more importantly, quite comfortable. To her approval, everything was immaculate and almost compulsively organized. Everything was almost modern by the realm's standard, but she got the feeling that he still didn't understand some of it.

Not that the house was as simple as he'd put it either.

Several rooms had obviously been given the most attention.

The bathroom was built with stone tile floors and walls. They may not be as clean as brushed steel, but she internally agreed that they looked good. The shower, again, made with tile, was a walk in with a large glass face to keep the steam in.

The living room was centered around a large stone and mortar fireplace. While not as efficient or as clean as a magical, or even electrical, heater, it did have a nice feel to it, like it belonged. And, to her glee, a few of the walls were lined by bookshelves. Again, she may be a technocrat, but she still understood the value of knowledge, regardless of whether it was presented on paper or was digitally rendered.

There was no television, but there was a computer, and, just as he'd explained, it was almost the newest model. "I…still don't know to turn it on," he excused awkwardly, ruffling his hair.

Tecna smiled at his open embarrassment.

"Would you like me to show you?" He grinned sheepishly.

For about an hour or two, she broke down computer operation for him, but soon that wore down and they found themselves sitting on his couch, her eying the various titles stacked on his shelves. As he'd told her, he had indeed done a great deal of study into dimensional apertures. There was some heavy reading there, and at least half of the books covered the vaguer aspects of the subject. Others seemed to involve subjects that interested him. There were a few on the history of the magical realms, most likely from when he first arrived, and a few that made her wonder. Physics? Engineering? And a few others that whet her curiosity.

Thumbing through a few of the heavier titles, she was struck by a question. "You've read all of these?"

"Mhm."

"But you said it yourself, you've only been here two years. There is far too much here to read and understand in such a short amount of time." His smile grew impish. "And now that I think of it," she looked out the window. "How do you manage such a large quantity of vegetation by yourself?"

"I have my methods," he answered back mysteriously, grinning smugly.

She leaned over and poked him in the ribs for that.

"So…not quite what you expected?"

"No." She smiled coyly. "Better." He seemed to find relief in that answer. Hands on her hips, she regarded him. "I may enjoy technology," she began lecturing. "But that's not to say I don't find other things interesting as well." Okay, that was a bit of a leap from her usual philosophy, but she found his company quite enjoyable, and there was just something so…comfortable, about the house, even with its mostly low tech. content. "Besides, it just means I can be the one to teach you the benefits technology has to offer," she finished. He smiled at the drive in her declaration.

"You'll have to be patient…I'm pretty stubborn."

"Old data."

Smirking at the small joke, "Lunch?" he suggested. "I've got all the makings for the veggie or fruit smoothie of your choice."

"Ready to go?" he asked. "Faragonda may like me, but I don't think she'll let you push curfew for my sake." It was with some surprise, afterward, that time had seemed to fly by. A testament to how well things had been going.

Tecna blinked in realization before looking to her watch. Ignoring the side-readouts regarding barometric pressure and her calendar… It was that late? She'd been here all day, and hadn't seemed to notice as the sun came ever closer to the horizon. She made to bolt but was stopped.

Pulling her back gently by the wrist, he smiled down at her worried eyes. "I'm hoping you'll forgive me. I've spent my life hiding…everything…and it's a hard habit to break. But, if you want a better idea of what I'm hiding-" He pulled her against himself and, before she could blush or remind him that she was extremely late, they were surrounded by a blur of scenery. "Then I hope this will be one more thing you know about me," he finished, releasing her.

They were standing in front of the campus.

How?

They had been some odd three miles away.

Confused, dazed as she was, she still managed a hypothesis. "Teleportation?"

He smiled fondly down at her. "It's just one of the things I picked up." Leaning over, he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Goodnight, Tecna," he murmured before vanishing in a quick blurring motion.

Tecna was more than a little confused as she walked on back to the student dorms.

Information overload.

Okay, so maybe the kiss on the forehead may have had something to do with her disorientation, but a lot of it was simply him. Teleportation, without a spell or portal, was fairly advanced.

And then there were the unanswered questions. Somehow, he seemed to have a way to do a great deal…in a short amount of time, if her guess was right. How very…

Irritating.

Endearing, but irritating.

Lightning crashed down around Cloud Tower, but it was inside that the real conflict was currently occurring.

Sitting in a three-point circle, levitating, the Trix were in the midst of a spell, the ring of Solaria floating in the center. Witchly energy licked off them, combining sequentially before ensconcing the ring. They shook at the power draw, but held firm. Not that they had long to wait. After only a moment, the energy gathering around the ring exploded in a bright flash, knocking them out of the air and on their butts.

The ring bounced on the floor.

Darcy sat up, blinking away stars. "That was pathetic."

"Yeah, that was the fourteenth power spell we've tried," Stormy griped.

"I'm wiped."

The near cupboard opened as a groggy Knut stepped into the room, woken from his sleep by the sudden upheaval and explosion of magical power. "What's goin' on?" Far too tired to deal with him, Stormy held out her right hand, thumb, index, and pinky fingers extended.

"Turn right around, and go right back to sleep. Close your eyes and pretend you're devouring a herd of sheep," she intoned, unleashing the minor spell, head dropping tiredly to her chest. Blinking away the residual magic, the ogre could feel himself suddenly overcome by an intense fatigue. Grubby hand going up to his face, he covered a yawn.

"Yaaaaaaghh. Goodnight. I'm goin' to bed," turning on the spot and stepping back into the cupboard, doors closing behind him.

Hardly had the doors closed when Icy's rage reared its ugly head. Small fists beating into the floor, she roared out indignantly at this, their latest failure. "What are we missing?" she snapped. "Why can't we use the ring's full powers? Darcy, did you do a realm-wide search for all the jewelry spells that exist?"

The highlighted brunette rubbed her nose in indifference. "Yes," she groaned back. "I got everything that was listed on the Witch-Wide-Web."

Breaking into the argument, "Unlocking the power of the Great Dragon is gonna take more than a spell or an incantation," Stormy huffed. Hands waving daintily, her tone turned momentarily trite. "It's gonna take something inspired." Wise words or not, the timing was horrible on her part.

"LIKE WHAT!" Stormy flinched bodily at the infuriated demand. "Why don't you make yourself useful for once and figure it out before I turn you into a puppy," she threatened, her raised fist glowing momentarily with power drawn out by her fury. Her typical cold glare was sub-arctic as she focused her attention on the inanimate object that dared mess with her so. "And _you_… I _dare_ you to keep defying me you second-rate ring," she spat scathingly and hurled the mystical circlet against the near wall where it fell to rest with a small clatter on the floor. She'd get the damn thing to work, no matter what it took!

Research.

It was honestly what she was best at.

For the better part of the day, their group had holed up in the school library, pouring over book after book before said tome was strewn to the side in favor of a new one.

Despite being the focus of the flurried searching of books, Stella proved the least interested in page turning. Not that she herself was doing such. Relying on her specialty, the technocrat was running multiple searches on the magical web, relying on every credible search engine she knew of. The history of Solaria, the ring of Solaria, any myths regarding either, any potential link between Solaria and witches, and so on.

Blinking tiredly, they were all overdue for some sleep, she rubbed the bleariness from her eyes. So long looking at the screen, even she felt the effects.

"Here it is again," Bloom announced to the group. At any and every mentioning, they would read out their findings, even if there was only a slight difference to what they had already read.

Grateful for a brief respite from gluing her eyes to the pages, Musa looked over to the group's redheaded member. "Well? Share the four-one-one, girl."

"Okay. We already know that the ring is so powerful because it was made directly from starlight. The most pure source of magic in the universe." Reiteration. Such had been found out over and over. "But what's really interesting is that, according to this, some say that the ring is extra special because it's made of the same light that created this legendary creature called the Great Dragon." Aching neck lifting her head up from the book, she, and the rest of them, turned to the Solarian princess. "Do you know anything about this, Stella?"

Grinning cockily at being in the know, "Well, yeah. I know all about the starlight stuff…" It wasn't very often she was turned to as the source of answers, outside of fashion that is. "But the other stuff makes me think that I should have it reappraised!"

"_Think!_" Bloom insisted, exasperation growing. "This could be why the witches wanted your ring. It may have hidden power," she proposed to them all. A good theory, especially when considering that it was the only one they had.

"Yeah," Stella agreed weakly. If that was true, then how come she didn't know about it?

"In that case, we better go get it back," Flora suggested softly.

But Stella was nowhere near as even tempered as her friend. Righteous indignation flaring, "We have to get it back anyway. I'm, like, so useless without it." Musa laughed heartily.

"True dat! In magical defense class, she got beat by a keek bug!" finding no end to the hilarity of it all.

At the end of the school day, Stella was beginning to go through one of her habitual, as of late, meltdowns. Today's classes had _not_ gone in her favor. Though, to be fair, it wasn't like she'd studied very hard…for any of them. "How are we going to get my ring back?" she ranted. "I can't do _anything_ without it."

Tecna frowned. "We have that major quiz in Spells tomorrow," she reminded. As she was, the blonde would need the magical ring in order to even think of passing it.

"That quiz counts for, like, half our grade," Flora murmured, worried. "We _have_ to get your ring back, or you'll _never_ pass, Stella." Not lack of faith, simple truth.

"I GOT IT!" Kiko the bunny had been asleep on Bloom's pillow, but the fairy's emphatic cry had jolted the poor creature back into the land of wakefulness where he glared sourly. "We can cast a hypnosis spell on the witches while they're sleeping!" she plotted. "And then we can make them give us the ring!"

"Kyeah! Classic payback!" Stella cheered, throwing her arms up, before the gravity of the plan hit her. Even she could see the flaw. "But, wait a sec. Detail. How are we even going to get _in_ to Cloud Tower?" From Flora's side of the room, Tecna smiled confidently.

"I know where to download a map of the interschool tunnel," fists up in personal triumph.

"Sweet!" Bloom agreed, taking the plan from there. "We'll go right after lights out and be back while everyone is still asleep! So no one will know we left!" Face crinkling into a cute attempt at a surly frown, hands dangling beside either cheek, "Hey! You mess with one of us, you mess with all of us! That's the power of the Winx Club!" her frown dissolving into a triumphant grin at the end.

What soon followed was _not_ how they had planned things out. Did they make it into Cloud Tower? Yes. Did they get into the witches' room? Yes, again. Did they find the ring? Yes. Quite easily in point of fact.

Did anything go right from that point on? Nope.

Carnivorous insects as large as the average mammalian housepet. Slime. And fire, mostly due to Stella's tendency towards pyromania. And all under the constant worry of getting caught in a place where they weren't supposed to be.

What Bloom had said after, on their trek back, despite their internal gratitude that everything was over, was still unnerving. A voice that only she could hear…that had, in an unknown environment, led them to an escape from the inferno. Spooky. When it was all added up, there was something far beyond coincidence about what she told them.

They were dead on their feet by the time they made it back to Alfea. Of all of them, Musa was hunched over as she trudged on. "I wish we could use magic and fly to bed," Flora murmured tiredly.

Bloom had an even better idea. "I'm so tired that if we could use magic in here, I'd make the bed fly to me and tuck me in," one-upping her.

Feeling the energy from the casual competition, Musa straightened back up to deliver an addition of her own. "I'm so tired I would just crash right here," thumbing at the scalloped wall of the hallway, and getting some light laughter from the others. Until a clearing throat froze them all in their footsteps, before they even noticed Griselda standing in their path. Her usual frown…was gone, replaced by an even darker one.

"You're not as tired as you're _going_ to be _tomorrow,_" she chastised, her voice crisp and stern. "I'll see you all in Mrs. Faragonda's office. Now."

The usually placid headmistress unnerved them all with the power of her disapproving glare. "We warned you. Cloud Tower is _off limits_!" she berated. "Yet you ignored us and went there in the middle of the night!" For once, Griselda was holding her tongue, preferring to silently observe as the headmistress gave the quintet a verbal lashing. "And you _broke in_! Unbelievable!" The good feelings towards what they'd considered a productive night had all but left them, leaving the fledgling fairy's feeling downtrodden at Faragonda's disappointment in them, and mirroring as much on the outside, barely able to make eye contact with her.

"Unthinkable," Griselda chimed in.

"Unacceptable."

"You must be punished," she finished for the headmistress, having already known that this was where it would lead.

Almost as one, they let out weak whining groans. Punishment was to be expected, but by no means did they like it, or have to for that matter.

"We cannot tolerate this kind of behavior at Alfea!" Headmistress Faragonda proclaimed anew. "But I hope you at least have a reasonable explanation." Thus proving that she was not completely against them in this matter. Disapproving of their actions she may be, but she was at least compassionate enough to hear them out.

"The witches stole-" but Bloom's words never had a chance.

"If I may," Griselda interrupted, stepping to the headmistress' side to further capture her attention. "I believe that in such an extreme violation, any reason they could give us would be completely irrelevant."

"I agree," nodding in assent. Though harsh in judgment, sometimes it was needed in order to sell the lesson.

"In fact, I'd recommend punishment 4D." Faragonda's eyelids rose a fraction, but it was too small an amount to be noticed. "I know we've only used it once before, but we need to set an example for our other students, whatever the consequences may be." By this point though, Stella could contain herself no longer.

"But the witches were the ones that started it!" she exclaimed, missing out entirely on just how childish her words seemed.

"That's enough," Faragonda declared, leaning forward, hands fingers steepled before her mouth, she decided. "Punishment 4D will do!" And, raising her arms, swirling yellow energy coalesced before she threw her arms outward at them. The swirling ball left her, becoming a swirling vortex around the young fairies. "_Poweris revokeris…Magicus suspendus_"

Simultaneously, each of the girls was lifted into the air where the yellowish energy seemed to literally leech the magic out of them.

Powers drained, and sent to their rooms, they all just loitered around their joined rooms, dejectedly accepting their situation. Most of them anyway. "Well, at least we don't have to go to class for a whole week." That was Stella, always looking on the bright side, when it suited her, and when the bright side was by her own rather narrow perspective.

"We can't do _any_ homework without our powers," Flora elucidated in lament. "We'll be so behind." In Alfea, there was very little that a magic-less student could do. Bloom's first few days being the prime example.

"And what about our network privileges? What am I supposed to do without the Realmwide Web?" asked Tecna sorrowfully. Magic was just one of the things taken from them in this "grounding." They couldn't leave campus. They couldn't really do anything remotely interesting or fun. So much for planning a café day with Naruto. And she'd long ago started assembling a list, too. Knowing now just how limited his grasp of technology was, it was her mission to…educate him.

Taking the cue from her friends and roommates, Musa couldn't help but add her own personal pain to the pile. "I was almost finished with this awesome spell to hit the perfect high note, which was gonna be so rad for my new demo."

Away from the group though, Bloom stared out the window over the campus, and the forest beyond. "You guys, this is bigger than any of that stuff. When the witches realize we took the ring, they'll come here to get us." Silence and grave understanding followed her grim prophecy. "And we won't have our powers."

AN/ Next time: The heroes who wield mops. (Snickering)


	3. Grounded, Part 1

A Fox In Magix

Speaking

_Thoughts/Spells_

**Demonic Voice**

Disclaimer: I own neither Winx Club, nor Naruto.

AN/ I know it's been a while. Trust me, you don't want me to get into the details, but it's been a _long_ few months. Never fear. Though I haven't posted in a while, I'm still writing. I've got nearly complete chapters for Rosario and Shadowed Light, and my X23 crossover has a nearly complete intro chapter.

FYI: Considering how long it's turned out to be, this chapter, the _Grounded_ episode, will be split in two.

NOTE: ALL my fics are still on. As it stands though, my Justice League and Ultimate X-Men ones are on temporary hiatus until I can figure out their futures. Justice League due to the New 52 changes, even if my fic is based on the tv series. And Ultimate X-Men, well, what with the series ended, I want to see how Ultimate X goes before I commit anymore.

But all the rest are still running. I just haven't had many moments where I felt like writing. (The stress of applying to a Professional school and waiting to be accepted. It's only because of the acceptance that I've relaxed enough to write these.)

Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 3 - Grounded, Part 1

Two days of classes where they could do nothing but listen, falling behind all the other girls when it came to practical lessons, had not diminished the feeling of loss as they went about without their powers. Though Bloom was handling it the easiest by far. She'd grown up on Earth, after all, having spent the majority of her life without those powers so it wasn't all that new or dramatic. The impact of the last few days had weighed heaviest on the members of the group that had grown up in magic's presence. Without their powers, the majority of them felt…limited. As they were supposed to.

But that was neither here nor there. The here and now had the gaggle of teen fairies assembled in Griselda's office, early Saturday morning. This was _not_ how they wanted to spend a Saturday.

Soft-spoken as she was, two days into their punishment had emboldened the nature fairy into voicing the question they all wanted to know the answer to. "Griselda…We were wondering when we might get our powers back?" she implored for them all.

"Your little "field trip" to Cloud Tower was unacceptable, not to mention dangerous," she retorted brusquely, and stood from behind her desk. "You're lucky you weren't turned into jumping beans and sold to the Inter-Realm Circus! You won't be getting your powers back any time soon," leveling the truth on them before pacing to the front of the desk. "But that's only the beginning of your punishment."

All flinched at her finishing words, absorbing her meaning. "Ah! What's the rest of it?" Flora asked meekly.

The chastisement leaving her voice, her eyes bore a lecturing sternness to their gaze. "You may not leave the campus for the next two days." Effectively, their punishment included the robbing of the weekend.

"Veg out all weekend?" Stella cracked flippantly. "Not exactly a punishment, Miss G." Despite the no nonsense atmosphere that always seemed to surround Griselda, Bloom couldn't help the giggle that sneaked past her lips.

Tecna was a bit more wary of what her friend's behavior would draw out. "Stella!" she hushed.

Too late.

The smug look on the Assistant Head's face told them all they needed to know.

Clapping her hands, energy flickered before flying forth and bringing into existence several armfuls of cleaning supplies: brooms, mops, buckets, sponges… "There will be _no_ vegging out," she countered. "You will clean this school from basement to belfry using these cleaning implements." Grabbing up a mop, she marched over to the Solarian fairy. "Here you are, Miss Stella. Your new best friend," and thrust it into her hands. Oh yeah, she wasn't enjoying this at all.

"What a curious looking remnant of primitive technology," Tecna mused, flipping open her small computer, immediately searching for online reference materials. "Perhaps there's an online manual in my-"

'CLP' Stepping over to the tech fairy, Griselda pushed the screen down, closing the computer and halting her search. "You won't need a manual, Miss Tecna," she clipped.

"Oh, no manual?" brow knitting in agitation. This was stepping quite the ways beyond her realm. And she couldn't even look for a referential guide.

Musa smiled at her. "Don't worry, Tecna. It's not that complicated."

"Yeah," agreed Flora with a little added levity. "The only manual we'll be using is manual _labor_." But Tecna still sagged, shoulders and head bowing.

"Exactly. If we had a manual for the labor we'd be more efficient at-," she proclaimed in argument of her point, but was interrupted by joint laughter. Glaring weakly at her friends and roommates, "What's so funny? I was not joking."

Not believing their attitudes, and not liking that they didn't appreciate that they were being punished, "That's enough!" she barked reproachfully at them, voice cracking like a whip, but the jocularity was only weakened, not stopped. "Leave no paperweight undusted! Now…Get To Work!"

* * *

Organizing, they separated in two groups. Flora took Tecna, and Bloom and Musa took charge over Stella. It'd been deemed necessary for at least two to keep the flighty fairy's nose to the proverbial grindstone.

Not that they were being successful at it.

Bloom scrubbed the higher ascending benches.

Musa wiped down the lower benches.

Stella…perched herself atop the teacher's desk and worked on her makeup.

On her knees, Bloom sat back up, stretching her already stiff back. "Only _ten_ more lecture halls to go," she reminded. Her words weren't rhetorical though. They were aimed at the only member of their small team not to do anything yet.

Hand coming up to wipe her brow, Musa agreed wholeheartedly. "How 'bout a little H to the E to the L to the P, Stella?"

Ball rolling and all, justifiably so, "Totally! This _is_ kinda your fault, you know," the redhead reminded.

Snapping her compact shut, "This is _my_ fault?" she scoffed, disbelieving in the very possibility, and kept primping.

"If you hadn't opened your big yap-trap…" and let the meaning sink in.

Pulling out a file, "You both laughed," she sniffed, tending to her nails.

Patience worn thin, "C'mon, Stell', just grab a scrub brush!" the musical fairy snapped.

"Blisters are my enemy," turning away in distaste at the idea of labor.

Frowning angrily, "Wear…GLOVES!"

"Ugh! Gloves with a tank top!"

"Oh, that's a really good point." Having come down the stairs at some point, Bloom was now standing just away from them, pouring soap into a bucket of water. "I hadn't even thought of that." Her tone was nonchalant, maybe even cheery.

"Thank you, Bloom," she praised, ignorant of the impish grin across her defender's face. "Look, getting dirty is simply not in my makeup." Throwing the empty detergent bottle aside, Bloom picked up the bucket.

"You're not the only princess here?" Musa countered furiously, at Stella's pomposity. She was always that way, but right now it was grinding gears.

"Maybe," she conceded. "But on Solaria? Royalty and suds don't-waagh!" Her haughty diatribe broke off in the wake of the soapy water splashing on her. Bloom pulled back the bucket, now only half full, and was trying her best not to grin to widely.

"What were you saying, Stella?" she asked innocently. Musa clutched her ribs, laughing as hard as she was at the still stunned, and very much sudsy, Stella. Eyes narrowing, "Oh, I got some for you, too, Musa," she declared archly, and hurled more water.

* * *

In the stairwells, Tecna and Flora went about their task: sweeping the corridors and stairs. The only issue was that the concept of using such an archaic tool was difficult for Tecna to grasp. Fortunately, for both their sakes, Flora was quite patient. "It's not that complicated, Tecna," she insisted, broom in hand. "Here, let me show you."

"Thanks, but I know I can figure out the secret to these strange objects by myself," overturning the bucket of cleaning supplies to examine the container itself. To anyone less understanding, the scene would've been very hard not to laugh at, the fairy trying to discern the purpose of a bucket.

"That's called a bucket."

Struck by some unknown inspiration, Tecna donned the bucket like a helmet. "Aha!"

Smiling understandingly, "That's one use for it. And the broom? Well?" Quizzing her on the item on which her hands were propped.

"The broom is elongated so that the user might reach high places," she deduced, taking up her own broom.

"Like that picture up there?" noting the large blue picture a good meter over their heads.

Smiling triumphantly, "Exactly! Observe." Turning the broom, she lifted it bristles first over her head and to the picture, brushing its surface roughly. It worked, too.

Laughing lightly to herself, "Good job, sweetie." But all the jostling from the broom shook the picture from where it hung and it came crashing down.

"Oopsy!"

Tecna sighed in relief. "Good thing I figured out how to use the bucket."

Humoring her friend, Flora just smiled. She wasn't completely wrong. The bucket could've saved her from a wicked headache. It was just so sad about the ruined painting. "Yeah. Let's go find Bloom."

* * *

What they saw though was _not_ what they'd expected. Soapy puddles and downed fairies littered the classroom. Bloom was flat on the floor, Stella next to her, propped against the teacher's desk, while Musa had splayed herself out on top of the desk. All three looked absolutely soaked, and exhausted.

"What happened here?" Tecna gasped in shock at the state of the room. Barring that the grime was more or less gone, the room was messier now than when they'd started.

"Are you guys okay?"

Stella grinned up at them. "Bloom taught us a great Earth sport called Water Fight, and _I_ won!"

"Oh, please! You did _not_ win," Musa interrupted. "_I_ did." Rolling to the side, Bloom laughed at her friends' weak argument.

"It's not funny." It looked like fun, but, given the situation, Flora tried to make them see reason.

"What if Griselda sees this?" Tecna implored, understanding exactly what Flora meant..

"Indeed! What if?"

Too late seemed to be a very popular concept as of late. That, and irony.

Musa groaned. "Busted."

Standing dauntingly in the doorway, Griselda strode forward. "I wanted to let you know that Charmed Life is playing Magix Stadium tomorrow night, and all of Alfea will be there. Do you know this group?" Griselda never talked pop culture. That should've been their first clue.

Stella's eyes lit up, "I've got all their cds!"

It was an ambush. "Good thing, because since you have so much cleaning left you won't be attending the show." Groans and destroyed hope abound. "Perhaps one of your classmates will pick you up a t-shirt?" before turning and walking back out of the lecture hall.

Now that was just rubbing salt in a wound.

* * *

Cloud Tower:

In the cafeteria, Stormy openly raged. "Those pixie losers had the nerve to sneak onto _our_ turf!" fist coming down on the table, rattling dishes. "And we just let them get away!" Fear of the upper classmen was a common thing. That's why they didn't feel the need to talk with greater secrecy in the oddly shaped chamber. It was a tall, extremely so, room, the walls lined by tabled tiers.

Draped in her chair, "A real with would not let such an offense go unpunished," Darcy proposed.

Icy, much like her name implied, didn't seem the slightest agitated. In fact, her words were calm and even, if malicious of intent. "And neither shall we, my dear Darcy." She smirked deviously at the next plan already hatching in her mind. "Since the Power of the Dragon's not in the Solaria ring, we'll go find the _true_ source of power and use it to destroy their entire school."

"Why do we hate the girls of Alfea so much?" Heads turned. Many in annoyance at this lone heretic, but three in arrogant disgust at someone intentionally listening in and questioning their plans. "I mean, that seems kinda old school."

Icy looked down her nose at the befreckled redhead several levels below them, ironically in terms of both location _and_ power. "Who is this gangly freshman talking to me?" she sneered.

"I'm just sayin'…" she flustered under all the focus on her. Unlike many of the other students, she didn't quite look the part. That is, her looks weren't severe or sharp, neither was she condescending or mean. The true killer was that she looked…spunky. A gathered lock of her hair at the temple was tied and dyed blue to in contrast to the red. And the pumpkin on her t-shirt did not exactly instill fear in others.

A cute witch. In a place like Cloud Tower, it meant you'd want to keep your head down. "I mean, in some ways…Alfea's kinda rockin'."

Death knell.

"Peace and love," Stormy cooed dramatically before slamming her fists on the table, laughing in cold amusement. In fact, the reaction was infectious as laughing rang all throughout. Whether from the humor or from fear of standing out, and against the Trix, there was no telling. "Who let this wick-wannabe in here anyway?" she snarked, but her ragging had only just begun. "You're just so _alternative_, aren't you? So…_cutting edge._ Let's all think outside Pandora's Box and love each other. Not!"

The standout blushed brightly under the peer-wide ridicule.

Darcy clucked her tongue in mock sympathy. "Aw, the poor thing looks embarrassed," and snapped her fingers. Down below, at the girl's table, an orb of dark blue semi-liquid coalesced from thin air before rocketing at her face. To her shock, and that of the only other person at her table, a somewhat weedy looking green-haired teen, it spread all around her head. Eyes wide in instinctual fear, she fell to the ground, her fingers tearing at the immovable bubble.

"It's not funny!" the other girl pleaded, dropping to the redhead's side as she clawed at the blob, trying to get it off without suffocating…or drowning, whichever. "She can't breathe!"

"Stupid freshman, goo-blob only lasts for a minute," Darcy scoffed in finality, the blob already dematerializing. Eyes still awash with panic, she gasped in relief, taking in lungful after glorious lungful of precious air.

"Attention, witches." Atop the highest tier with the rest of the faculty, Headmistress Griffin's voice echoed downward to all the students. "The precious princesses of Alfea have booked Magix Stadium tomorrow night for some wretched music concert. So _our_ Money For Monsters fundraiser has to move to the elementary school auditorium. So plan accordingly." Turning away, she walked back to the staff table, muttering under her breath. "Worthless do-gooding pixies." You wouldn't say she was growling.

Not if you liked not being transformed into a lesser life form.

But Icy saw the opportunity in this. "Tomorrow night's the night. With the whole school empty, it'll be ours to destroy," a darkly smug smirk spreading over her lips.

* * *

Sunday:

Alfean students, and the vastly outnumbered teachers, bordered hover buses. The transports had been booked in advance to ferry the lot of them to and from the concert. But the cheers and jubilant cries were restricted to those who weren't restricted from going to said event.

Casting one last glance to their free classmates, Bloom turned away from the hall windows and back to her fellow grounded fairies. "It's just us," she sighed dejectedly.

"That band's bunk, but anything beats cleaning duty," Musa claimed, aptly appraising their situation. No one disagreed.

"I've got an idea, let's call up the boys."

Flora sighed weakly at Stella's proposal. "Right. I'm sure they'd just flip at the prospect of helping us clean."

But Bloom was taking Stella's idea and running with it. "Well, we'll just say we, uh, we need some heroics and bravery." It wasn't really a bad idea.

"But won't Griselda be angry?" Tecna asked, voicing a serious kink in the burgeoning plan. Bloom's smile didn't falter in the slightest.

"M-mn," shaking her head to emphasize the point. "She said no _magic_, but she never said we couldn't get any assistance from our favorite heroes."

The bucket and mop flew from Stella's hands. "Yes! And we know they can't resist a call from damsels in distress," and dramatically portrayed the role of the winsome damsel.

And just like that, the plan had unanimous support. Brooms, mops, and buckets all fell in a pile, joining Stella's. "Quick! Cell 'em before they leave for the show!"

* * *

"Bringgg!"

"SPANG!"

"&$%^&&!#"

"Bringgg!"

"SPANG!SPANG!SPANG!"

"Gaaaaahh!"

Taking great care, and an atrocious level of self-restraint to boot, he pulled the offending object, a cell phone, from his back pocket. "Yeeeess?" he asked into the microphone, wondering if they could hear his molars grinding away at one another. Oh well, it's not like they were irreplaceable.

"Naruto? Are you there?" Oh. Tecna. "I'm sorry, but I can't hear you too well. There appears to be some interference in the connection." Well, that answers that question. He discreetly halted his jaw's aggravated grinding. "Oh. Well that's better. I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

Blue eyes shifted to the wreck he'd been working on. "No, no. Nothing really," sugar coating the Hell out of it.

"Spang!"

Okay, that settled it, he was being mocked. As they say, if looks could kill… Giving in to a momentary reprieve, never defeat, he cradled the phone between his ear and shoulder as he proceeded to wipe the various smatterings of refined grease from his hands. "So what's up?"

* * *

It didn't take long. Barely twenty minutes later, and three red hover-bikes shot through Alfea's gates. "You guys didn't waste any time, did you?" Stella greeted cheerily before skipping over to her beau. On their own bikes, Brandon and Riven lifted away their helmets. Each of them was wearing a blazer over their casual clothes for some modicum of protection from the elements.

"So, uh, exactly what kind of heroics and bravery do you girls need?" Sky asked her, hand affectionately petting the dog situated on the seat in front of him.

"Heroics and bravery?" Surprisingly not very far behind the Red Fountain trio was a blonde haired young man who was familiar to some. Unlike the Heroes, he was in an everyday pair of jeans and a red t-shirt, under a baggie black and red hoodie.

"Who're-"

His attention went to Tecna though. "Am I late?"

Trying not to smile at his laid-back playfulness, she stepped over and hugged him, "Not at all. You're right on time."

Blue eyes surveyed, over her shoulder, the odd confused glances between the gathered teens. "Name's Naruto," he offered, Tecna breaking the embrace. Stella's eyes bugged. _This_ was the "Naruto" Tecna had spoken of but had never introduced?

"Come on in, we'll explain the daring mission ahead of you," Bloom interrupted, trying not to laugh at her own choice of words as she ushered them all in. But her eyes lingered on Brandon.

* * *

Stella practically hung from Tecna's shoulder as they reentered the main building. "Way to go, Tecna," she cheered in a conspiratorially low whisper. "Bagged yourself a hottie!" The technocrat's blush flared, but she didn't deny the wealth of her find.

* * *

Wet mop slapping on the floor, "Here're the steps!" Stereo going in the background, Musa took the lead, mop in hand, and mixed some dancing into the scrubbing. "Soap up…Scrub…And rinse!" Throwing in a spin, "See? It's not too hard."

Naruto felt like laughing.

Sure, the situation hadn't been exactly what Tecna'd told him, but he had the growing feeling that the other guys hadn't been told anything close to the truth. As exhibited by their expressions.

The somewhat retro-fashioned teen, Sky, what a weird name, was the first to let his thoughts be known. "Um?"

Purple-hair, Ribbon or something, wasn't as speechless. "We skipped a concert for _this_?" And cut right to the point.

Grinning cockily, Naruto eyed the others. "Don't tell me the "heroes" are too good for a little housework?" Slipping off his jacket, he threw it to the side, just in time to catch a mop thrown by Bloom.

"Oh, come on! It'll be a blast!" And threw similar mops to the others. First Brandon, then to Sky…and Riven let his clatter lifelessly at his feet, scowl adorning his face.

But it was Naruto who made the most sense. Leaning his weight on his own mop, "You like having girlfriends?" he whispered to them, getting nods. "Then shut up and mop." Okay, so he wasn't exactly Vince Lombarde, but he felt that was inspirational enough.

Leaning down over the stereo she'd brought down for just this occasion, Flora dialed the volume up before stepping back away. "Alright, guys, let's turn it up and get rockin'."

"Come on, everybody. Mop and step and yeah!" Musa twirled her mop showily as, behind her, the boys had doffed their reluctance in favor of doing a kick line with their girlfriends. Sky and Stella, then Brandon and Bloom, each kicking in a comedic way. Separate, Tecna and Flora did mirroring dance/cleaning moves, before backing up to one another, and laughing as Naruto had skidded by them, riding atop a pair of mop heads.

Leading them, Musa had her mop aloft, spinning it swiftly, the others taking formation and doing the same. It was actually unexpectedly amusing. "You've heard of hip-hop? Well this is hip-mop!" she announced.

But, unlike the rest of them, purple hair had gone and moped around, instead of mopping. Leaning in the doorway, he broadcast an annoyed glare at them all. "Lame," he griped sourly.

Even little Kiko was getting in the spirit…until his impromptu baton smacked right in the face of Prince Sky's dog. Noting the haughty, offended glare, the little rabbit sped away, as fast as it could while maintaining a cover of nonchalant innocence.

* * *

Despite the mix of work and play, the former did actually get done. And, with the school emptied, it meant they had the freedom to use the space as they deemed fit. For now at least.

"The cleaning is finite. It's time to get the party started, and DJ Musa is at the tables!" Pulling out some cds, they skimmed through the air to an array of players. "Let's see…Tunes for the East wing, West wing, North wing, and South wing!" Cleaning finished, the girls had dressed up, and they and the guys were ready for a concert of their own. Fast-paced dance music blaring, everyone began to feel the spirit.

Bloom and Stella were dancing together, laughing at the wonderful change in the evening's pace. "You go, Stella!" she cheered.

"Go, Bloom!" But the Solarian fairy caught herself. "Wait! What do you think you're doing dancing with me? Get on over there. I know you've had your eye on Mister Blonde and Blue all night long."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," she claimed with demure innocence, somewhat jokingly.

Giving her a gentle, if insistent, elbow nudge to the back, "Coyness will only get yourself so far, Bloom," she advised. "Don't be afraid to go for what you want. Ask Brandon to dance with you."

* * *

(With Tecna and Flore)

"So, Naruto seems nice." Helping Flora to put out some drinks, a few of which were organically processed fruit beverages, at the nature fairy's pushing, Tecna couldn't stop herself from arranging the drinks according to flavor, nutrient content, and so on. Flora really was a gentle spirit, so very soft-spoken, who leaned towards being non-confrontational almost all the time, but caring for her friends tended to bring her out of her shell. Right now, she liked seeing Tecna happy.

"He really is," the technocrat supplied, smiing. Cups laid out in a row, another biodegradable that Flora had snuck in, all that was left was… "Now where's that ice?"

"Comin'," Naruto announced from behind them, a bag of ice in hand. The school's kitchen was closed so he'd opted to get it off-campus himself for the sake of speed. Not that he explained it all out like that. No one had asked so he said nothing.

Producing a bowl, "You can put it in here. Thank you," Flora instructed appreciatively. Untying the top, he poured the contents into the large bowl, the individual ice cubes clinking and clattering.

* * *

(Outside)

The stars sparkled dimly. Except for the few dorm rooms the small party occupied, windows were dark all throughout the campus, the school courtyard only dimly lit by the few lamps turned on.

But the blanket of serenity was short lived as, in the center of the quad, purple lightning arced through the air. Coming to ground, it coalesced and, in a subdued flash of light, gave way to a trio of harsh looking teens.

Stormy, Darcy, and Icy, respectively, in a semicircle.

"Guh," Darcy exclaimed almost immediately, making a show of cringing. "What may I ask is that _hideous_ noise?" Following their ears, a trio of eyes tracked the sound to its origin, a room several floors up with its lights on. "It's coming from up there."

"I thought this place was supposed to be empty."

"Let's check it out." Flying up and across the quad to the single lit dormitory window, the trio hovered just below the balcony, peeking through the railing.

"It's them!" Stormy hissed lowly. The sight of dancing teens being what they _didn't_ want to see.

* * *

(With the Winx)

In a surprising turn, Naruto had pulled Tecna from her shell of social awkwardness and onto the dance floor.

"But I don't really know how to dance!"

Smiling crookedly, but also invitingly. "It's not exactly my forte either, but I'm not about to let that stop me."

"Two pairs of left feet, that's rich," Riven heckled from the side. Leaning against the wall, he was the picture of stoic solitude as he nursed a soda. To the more blunt perspective, you could simply say he was being an ass.

Song reaching its zenith, Musa moonwalked right up to Riven, "Whoohoo! Go, Musa! Work it!" twirling right under his nose before skipping away. Showing off, but also a teasing invitation to stop being such a stick in the mud and join the party.

Sniffing scornfully at him for his demeaning comment, Tecna reversed her standpoint and actually pulled Naruto along for the last few feet. "Let's dance then," she insisted. "We'll not let him ruin this." To which the blonde's grin widened.

The song changed almost immediately though, altering the mood entirely. Instead of the robust, lively tune, it slowed, softening. (_Forever_ or _Endlessly_ from the Winx soundtracks, take your pick. Both work.) Inexperienced at dancing as she was, Tecna still recognized what the slow tempo meant. "Um, I'm not sure-" but the warm confidence in his smile swayed her.

"I didn't expect this," Brandon admitted to Riven, coming back from getting a drink from the table. "I'm actually having fun!"

"Good for you. I'm glad _someone_ is," Riven grumped sarcastically before walking off in an emo-like huff. "I'm getting some air, bro," stomping out on the balcony.

* * *

Disappearing before they could be spotted, the three witches regrouped out of sight back on the ground. Icy scoffed in annoyance at it all. "That was close." The school's supposed to be cleared out, and that group of pixies just had to be an exception to the rule.

"Should we go?" Darcy proposed, playing the devil's advocate. Or…was it erring on the side of the angels? Idioms, go figure.

"Because of those twits?" Icy almost snarled, eyes narrowing in a furious scowl. "I want the Dragon Fire power, and I'll burn in the flames of Ryhala before I let a handful of _pixies_ get in my way," throwing extra venom into her declaration.

"Me too!" Icy's speech had lit the unbiased, lashing anger that was always so close to Darcy's surface. "Once we get it we will so rule that they'll be naming entire _realms_ after the three of us!"

Icy slapped on a confident smirk. "So let's conjure the Whisperian Crystals. They'll find the source of the Dragon Fire and lead us straight to it!"

"What about the fairies? Are we just gonna let them dance and party like they're all that?" Darcy reminded haughtily. Okay, from an outside perspective, that was a rather petty point-of-view.

"I say we summon a Cretian Minotaur from Limbo and have _him_ crash their party."

Icy's smirk turned into a decidedly sinister grin at Darcy's idea. "_Excellent_ idea, but first…the Whisperian Crystals!" As one, all three gathered their magical energies, concentrating them until each was able to summon an ornate crystal, reminiscent of finely shaped glass.

* * *

(The Winx)

"I thought you said you couldn't dance," Tecna asked. Her cheeks bore a horrid flush as, somewhere down the line, the space between them had closed significantly as they danced until none remained.

His answer was warm against her ear, "I said it wasn't my forte," he explained. "Never said I _couldn't_." Darn him, but she could feel the amusement in his voice. "Still…don't ask me to do the waltz," he amended. "What you see is the extent of my ability." Okay, she was in too good a mood right now to slug him, even halfheartedly, for his fun at her expense.

Blue eyes shifting a little, he noted that while the majority of them had fallen into a slower paced dancing between couples, or somewhat couples, there were still a few bystanders. "I know Musa's interested in Mister Broody and Emo over there, but what about Flora, shouldn't her boyfriend be here?"

Glancing at her friend, she could see her smiling, but knew she had to be feeling a little left out. "Flora's a shy girl," she explained lowly. "I don't think she's opened up to anyone yet. And Musa…she does like a challenge, but even I have to wonder what it is she sees in Riven."

Looking thoughtful for a moment, he met eyes with her. "I've got an idea…if you'll keep an open mind."

* * *

Flora hummed lowly to herself as she watched all her friends, enjoying the happiness in their expressions. Albeit Bloom and Brandon weren't quite as close as Stella and Sky or, surprisingly enough, Tecna and Naruto, but it was there, under the surface. She wished she was out there, true enough, but she was also patient and would wait for her day to come. The day when she met someone who she could share her heart wholly with.

"This really is turning into a nice night."

Sighing to herself, she nodded. "It is, yes." It took a moment to register. Blinking in confusion, she turned her head to see Naruto sitting next to her on the couch. Naruto? Eyelids fluttering again, she looked back to the dance floor where Tecna and Naruto were still dancing. Attention shifting back and forth between the two, her eyes going round as her brow knit cutely, "What-"

The Naruto next to her grinned smugly. "Well, I thought everyone deserved to dance, and after a little explaining Tecna agreed." Slipping his hand over hers, he pulled the currently owl-eyed girl along with him onto the dance floor.

Moments later joined by another Naruto and Musa, though in the case of the latter, Musa took an aggressive lead, not being as "girly" as the others.

* * *

(With the Trix)

"_Energies of chaos unite_," Icy chanted at the hovering, glowing crystals. "_Form the Whisperian Triangle!_" A dark, purplish energy lanced out from each crystal like tendrils, each latching onto the crystals at either side of it. Rising overhead, the connected trio of crystals, shone brighter, spinning in the air. "_Let the three cease to be, and bare one power unto me!_" at which point they descended, moving now with a purpose of their own. "Let's go!" Taking flight, the trio of witches followed immediately in their wake.

Distance closed rapidly, and the ball of light that was the collection of crystals had all but run straight into the side of an exterior wall. Or not. It instead went right on through it as if one or the other was insubstantial. "It's going through the wall!" Stormy clipped.

Icy smirked. "Not a problem. _Passus throughus!_" Hand extending, she shot off a quick spell at the wall. The small bit of magic unfurled into a winding whirlpool, and, laughing, they melted through the physical barrier.

… (And, yes, this is a passing of time mark, not a divider mark.)

"Crap, but this place is so…dull," Darcy grumbled, taking stock of the inner workings of the building. There were no sharp angles, no harsh lighting…and it smelled flowery.

Having had more than enough of looking around, Icy turned back around, facing the others. "Ready, sisters?" The light of the Whisperan Crystals hanging overhead, awaiting its masters' permission, "Now then, complete the chain." Taking hands, they formed a rough triangle. Much like before, they gathered their energies until it hung around them like a ghostly, writhing skin. "_Innya e soranim. Mythos viacomos vactos!_ Creature lost in the maze of mayhem, cross the void!" A dark swirling of energy had begun to form at their feet not long into the incantation, but it was at the last few words that a shape began to rise upward from it. A dark mass of muscle and sinew, defined by sharp horns, wooly hindquarters, and cloven feet, roused itself. Eleven feet at the horns, equipped with twin pairs of arms, the minotaur stretched in its newfound freedom, bellowing.

* * *

AN/ And that's Part 1. Later for now.


End file.
